Wheel cover



Dec. 23, 1958 G. A. LYON WHEEL COVER Filed July 22, 1955 EYE-1722:? George A/berz Lyon k: 7 7 W W% %Z E United States atent O WHEEL COVER George. Albert Lyon, Detroit, Mich. Application July 22, 1955, SerialNo. 523,673

Claims. (Cl. 301-37) The present invention relates to improvements in wheel structures and more particularly concerns the ornamental and protective covering of the outer. sides of vehicle wheels.

The present application is a continuation-impart of my copending application Serial No. 499,666 filed April 6, 1955', now abandoned and the subject matter contained in continuatio-n-in-part application Serial No. 569,610 filed March 5, 1956.

In the aforesaid application is disclosed a. wheel cover of similar construction as herein wherein a common annular shoulder on a portion of the cover is resiliently deflectable' to aflord entry of bumps on a flange of the wheel into sockets or indentations. in the cover. In. said application the indentations are provided by radially embossed sockets which are pressed into the material of the cover without breaking the surface of'the cover. This requires dies that tend to wear. Furthermore, stretching of the material as an incident to the embossing is a factor entirely about theembossed socket. Some materials will lend themselves readily to such embossing, but other materials that may be otherwise suitable for use in a. wheel cover of this type may not lend themselves as readily to the stretching and Working required for such embossment. More particularly, such material may lend itself to bending and a certain amountof stretching of a strip of thematerial but may not lend itself as readily to an embossment of suflicient depth where the material is not ruptured on its surface.

It is accordingly an important object of the present invention to provide an improved wheel cover'structure of the type having an annular retainingshoulder forengagement with a series of retaining bumps on a wheel, with sockets cut in the material of the cover adjacent the shoulder for receiving the bumps.

A furtherobject of the invention is to provide such a cover whereinthe sockets have a strip of the material pressed from the sockets but overlying the same to substantially' conceal the same.

Another object of the invention is to providein such. a cover side edges at the sockets for retaining engagement with the retaining bumps to hold the cover positively against. turning.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a; cover with a retaining shoulder for engagement with retaining bumps and having-sockets at the axially'outer' side of the-shoulderfor receiving the bumps, with a plurality of pry-oif shoulders outwardly from the sockets to assist inremoving the cover from the-wheel by application of pry-off tool force to theouter margin thereof;

Other objects. features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which;

.Figure: 1'. is; an outer side elevational view; of a wheel structure embodying features of the; invention.v -:F .8 3 i i nl rg d.- fragmentary radial sectional view taken. substantially on the line II-II. of Fig. 1;,and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional detail. view taken substantially on the line III-III of Fig. 2..

A cover 5 isadapted to be appliedto theouter. side:of a vehicle wheel including a disk spider wheel body 7 having an outer marginal axially extending attachmentflange 8 secured in suitable fashion to a base flange 9 of amultiflange, drop center tire rim. Extending generally radially outwardly and sloping axially from the outer sideof the base flange 9 is a side flange 10 which merges with a. gen erally axially outwardly extending and radially outwardly obliquely slanting intermediate flange 11 leading into a generally radially outwardly and then axially outwardly turned terminal flange 12. The flanges ofthe tire rim are so related that they will efliciently support a pneumatic tire 13 which may be of the tubeless type but may also, if preferred, comprise a tire and tube assembly.

The cover 5 is preferably made from sheet metal such as stainless steel, brass, aluminum alloy, or the like which may be supplied. in strip form and from which the cover can be economically manufactured on a large production basis by stamping or drawing the same. Herein the cover is made as a single piece stamping of a diameter to substantiallyentirely concealthe outer side of the Wheel in: cluding the wheel body 7 and the tire rim. However, it will be appreciated that optionally the cover may be made as a trimring to be associated with a suitable central hub cap or the like.

In the present instancethe cover 5 has an inner circular crown portion 14 for overlying the central portion of the wheeland surrounded by'an-annular ribbed formation 15 affording stiffness therefor and bounded by adeeply inwardly dished annular portion- 17 that fitsdownint'o the substantial annular axially outwardly opening groovebetween the tire rim and the wheel body' and more particularly lies in assembly with the wheel adjacent to the side flange 10' of the tire rim and may, if' desired, bear thereagainst adjacent juncture of the tire rim with the wheel body.

At its radially outer side, the dished portion 17' extends to an annular shoulder or rib 18' that is radially outwardly offset and provides juncture with a generally axially outwardly extending annular cover portion 19 adapted in assembly with the wheel to lie closely adjacent to the axially outer portion of the intermediate flange 11 of the tire rim.

According to the present invention, the shoulder 18 is utilized in retaining the cover onthe wheel in association with cover retaining bumps 20 that are pressed radially inwardly inthe axially outerportion of the intermediate flange. To accommodate the bumps 20 the axially extending cover portion 19 is provided with sockets 21. These sockets are provided by axially slitting the cover portion 19 along parallel lines spaced the width of the retaining bump 2t) apart in each instance, with the portion of the cover between the slits pressed radially inwardly to provide a reinforcing and concealing generally axially extending inwardly bowed strip 22 over each of the sockets 21. The socket strips 22 are pressed in sufiiciently to aflord clearance for the radially innermostv projecting nose portions of the retaining bumps 20, with the axially inner portions of the strips 22 leading into the rib. 18 for engagement in cover retaining relation behind the axially inward shoulder of the retainingbumps.

While for purpose of symmetry and attractive appearance, the recesses or sockets 2'1 and the pressed instrips 22. thereover may be of greater number than the retaining bumps: 20. which may be three to six, as desired, the circumferential spacing of the sockets 21 is such that when. av valve stem 23 (Fig. 1) is inserted through a holesi24-inz the-dished -'port-ion...17 of the cover, a number ofthe sockets 21 corresponding to the retaining bumps v 20 on the wheel will be axially aligned with the bumps.

Thereby, continued inward movement of the cover on the wheel will result in the socketing of the several retaining bumps within the sockets 21. Duringthisappli: cation of the cover, the shoulder 18 resiliently yields to deflect radially inwardly at the respective bumps 20 behind which the shoulder then snaps and engages in carnming tightly wedged engagement behind the bump shoulders.

At the same time that the bump shoulders are engaged by the cover shoulder 18, the bumps 20 enter into the respective sockets 21, and side edges 25 defining the sockets 21 confront the sides of the respective bumps 20 and act to efiectively thrust thereagainst on any tendency of the cover to turn on the wheel. It will be appreciated that the edges 25 being square and straight will actually bite into the respective sides of the bumps 20 in the presence of any considerable torque stresses that might tend to cause turning of the cover, so that there is no possibility of the cover portion 19 riding over the sides of the bumps.

Axially outwardly from the sockets 21, the annular cover portion 19 joins an annular outwardly arched riblike marginal cover extremity portion 27 on a generally axially inwardly indented rib juncture 28 disposed radially outwardly for overlying the shoulder at juncture of the intermediate flange 11 with the terminal flange 12 and, as shown engageable therewith to limit axially inward disposition of the cover. The marginal cover extremity portion 27 is preferably maintained in axially outward spaced relation to the terminal flange so as to provide therebehind an annular chamber within which wheel -balancing weights or the like may be disposed convenientpry-off rib against which leverage can be applied until the shoulder 18 at the respective sockets 21 engaging the bumps 20 is resiliently snapped free from the retaining bumps to release the cover.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be eflected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a cover structure for a wheel including tire rim and body parts, one of which has generally radially extending spaced protuberances disposed generally in a common circle about the axis of the wheel, .a metallic circular cover member having an outer marginal annular edge merging into a dished curved inner portion with an annular shoulder at junction of said portions, said outer portion having a series of recesses adapted to register with the wheel protuberances, and each recess being defined on its axially inner side by said shoulder, said shoulder being common to all said recesses and being resiliently deflectable radially when pressed against said wheel protuberances for entry of said protuberances in the recesses to retain the cover on the wheel and against turning, said recesses being defined by severed side edges with the material pressed from the recesses over the recesses andsaid side edges opposing the sides of the protuberances to hold the cover against turning on the wheel.

2. In a cover structure for a wheel including tire rim and body parts one of which has generally radially extending spaced protuberances disposed generally in a common circle about the axis of the wheel, a metallic circular cover member having an outer marginal annular edge portion merging into a dished curved inner portion with an annular shoulder at the junction of said portions, said outer portion having recesses axially outwardly offset relative to said shoulder and each recess being defined on its inner side by said shoulder, said shoulder being continuous and common to all said recesses and being resiliently deflectable radially when pressed against said wheel protuberances for entry of said protuberances in recesses to retain the cover on the wheel and against turning, said recesses comprising openings in said outer portion defined at their sides by slits presenting edges in opposition to the sides of the protuberances for holding the cover against turning.

3. In a cover structure for a wheel including tire rim and body parts one of which has generally radially extending spaced protuberances disposed generally in a common circle about the axis of the wheel, a metallic circular cover member having an outer marginal annular edge portion merging into a dished curved inner portion with an annular shoulder at the junction of said portions,

said. outer portion having recesses axially outwardly ofiset relative to said shoulder and each recess being defined on one of its sides by said shoulder, said shoulder being common to all said recesses and being resiliently deflectable radially when pressed against said wheel protuberances for entry of said protuberances in recesses to retain the cover on the wheel and against turning, said recesses comprising sockets and said shoulder comprising a leadin edge defiectably engaging the protuberances in advance of recesses being socketed on the protuberances, said recesses being defined at their sides by severed edges that oppose the sides of the retaining protuberances.

4. In a cover structure for a wheel including tire rim and body parts one of which has generally radially extending spaced protuberances disposed generally in a common circle about the axis of the wheel, a metallic circular cover member having an outer marginal annular edge portion merging into a dished curved inner portion with an annular shoulder at the junction of said portions, said outer portion having recesses axially outwardly offset relative to said shoulder and each recess being defined on one of its sides by said shoulder, said shoulder being common to all said recesses and being resiliently deflectable radially when pressed against said wheel protuberances for entry of said protuberances in recesses to retain the cover on the wheel and against turning, said recesses comprising sockets and said shoulder comprising a leadin edge defiectably engaging the protuberances in advance of recesses being socketed on the protuberances, said recesses being defined at their sides by severed edges that oppose the sides of the retaining protuberances, said recesses being in excess of the number of the protuberances but having spacing such that certain of them will always align with the protuberances.

5. In a cover structure for a wheel including tire rim and body parts one of which has generally radially extending spaced protuberances disposed generally in a common circle about the axis of the wheel, a metallic circular cover member having an outer marginal annular edge portion merging into a dished curved inner portion with an annular shoulder at the junction of said portions, said outer portion having recesses axially outwardly offset relative to said shoulder and each recess being defined on one of its sides by said shoulder, said shoulder being common to all said recesses and being resiliently deflectable radially when pressed against said wheel protuberances for entry of said protuberances in recesses to retain the cover on the wheel and against turning, said recesses comprising sockets and said shoulder comprising a leadin edge defiectably engaging the protuberances in advance of recesses being socketed on the protuberances, said recesses being defined at their sides by severed edges that oppose the sides of the retaining protuberances, said cover having a hole to receive a valve stem on the wheel so as to align at least certain of the recesses with protuberances on the wheel.

6. In a cover for disposition at the outer side of a vehicle wheel having a generally radially facing flange with cover retaining bumps thereon provided with axially inward facing shoulders, a cover member having a generally axially extending portion for adjacent opposition to said wheel flange and provided with a plurality of bump engaging openings therein defined at their sides by severed edges and having a generally axially extending strip thereover With the axially inner end of the strips connected integrally to said axially extending cover portion and providing shoulder means for retaining engagement behind the bumps.

7. In a cover for disposition at the outer side of a vehicle wheel having a generally radially facing flange with cover retaining bumps thereon provided with axially inward facing shoulders, a cover member having a generally axially extending portion for adjacent opposition to said wheel flange and provided with a plurality of bump engaging openings therein defined at their sides by severed edges and having a generally axially extending strip thereover With the axially inner ends of the strips providing shoulder means for retaining engagement behind the bumps, said shoulder means leading into an annular offset shoulder in said cover portion and said annular shoulder being resiliently defiectable for movement over the bumps.

8. In a cover for disposition at the outer side of a vehicle Wheel having a generallyradially facing flange with cover retaining bumps thereon provided with axially inward facing shoulders, a cover member having a generally axially extending portion for adjacent opposition to said wheel flange and provided with a plurality of bump engaging openings therein defined at their sides by severed edges and having a generally axially extending strip thereover With-the axially inner ends of the strips providing shoulder means for retaining engagement behind the bumps, said axially extending cover portion having at the axially outer side thereof a generally radially turned portion that is provided with a plurality of annular ing sockets for engagement with retaining bumps pro- I jecting from said wheel flange and having edges thereon opposing the sides of the bumps for holding the cover against turning, said cover portion having annular reinforcing ribs at the axially inner and outer sides of said sockets.

10. In a wheel structure including a wheel body and a tire rim with a generally radially inwardly facing intermediate flange on the tire rim provided with cover retaining bumps on the axially outer portion thereof, a cover for disposition at the outer side of the wheel including an annular dished portion for opposition to the juncture of the tire rim and wheel body and at the radially outer side thereof a generally axially extending portion provided with generally axially extending parallel slits defining sockets for engagement with the retaining bumps and with material from between the slits pressed radially inwardly for clearing the retaining bumps and defining at the axially inner sides of the sockets shoulders for resilient gripping engagement with the retaining bumps.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,669,487 Horn Feb. 16, 1954 

